Humans are ingenius and innovative, but humans are also imperfect.
Therefore, in life, things often take a few steps forwards, and one step backwards.

The 3IS is no exception.
The new round buttons on the steering wheel may be blander, and not as stylish as the old polygonal 4-sided buttons on the 2IS?
Because the new sat nav is located far away, it naturally appears smaller, such that they should have used a much larger sized screen like the 4GS?
So I do agree with the need for more stylish polygonal-shaped buttons on the steering wheel, and a bigger sat nav screen.

However, overall - a car is the sum of its parts.
It is the overall package that determines the sale.
The new 3IS is such an advancement in exterior styling and space that I'd strongly consider signing on the dotted line.

I just hope that the new 3IS has a more supple ride than its predecessor - the ride [on test drive] will be the deal breaker for me.
Normally, most of these cars do soften through the successive generations.
There is always the F-Sport choice for those wishing a sporty ride...

 

lets drop it.

 

The fact that we're submitting posts and several for that matter is an indication of a common positive thing we all share and that is passion towards the IS. Sometimes it's out of anger for noticing shortcomings because we do care and want to see better, and sometimes out of pride for the excellence. Enough with the philosophical stuff, here's why I put my money down on the IS for several great reasons (in no order):

1. Gorgeous styling and design inside and out
2. Lexus reputation and all that it stands for
3. Slightly improved fuel economy
4. Improved interior room
5. Class-beating fun driving dynamics
6. Class-beating quality and reliability
7. Overall excellent value proposition

To me, the interior looks gorgeous with high fit+finish especially in the Rioja Red. I am content with the quality of my CT as an entry level Lexus and from the pics of the IS, the console, doors, seats, and dash look similar overall in quality to the Gen 2IS (which I owned) and better than my CT. In fact, very close to the GS. I can't wait to get it... 10 more weeks and counting...

CT vs IS vs GS Drive Selector **** for comparison to demonstrate the noticeably high-quality IS's interior bits that seems to have gotten criticism about cheapness in this thread. Superior to the CT? Similar to the $50K highly acclaimed GS? My answer is Yes to both and in fact, the GS's **** looks identical to the "cheaper" CT's making the IS the richer looking one! You decide.

 

I'll give the nod for the **** itself to the IS, Everything surrounding the ****, goes to the GS. What worries me about the area around the **** in the IS, is that it looks very scratch prone. Would have loved to have the option of wood or carbon fiber in that area.

And your opening paragraph hit the nail on the head.

 

The center console from 3IS looks better on pictures than in person. It both looks and feels a bit more plasticy in person.

 

The area around the **** is quite hard and doesn't feel like it will be easily scratched.

 

Hence my point, its hard to judge the quality of a material in pictures. Your viewpoint is a valid viewpoint...you've sat in the car.

As for scratch prone...the piano black trim around the selector **** on the GS is the definition of scratch prone...

 

But it looks and feels highend. The polished blush silver trim in my 12 F-sport feels more highend than the top speced 3IS, while the 3IS feels more modern in design. Just like the iPhone 4s vs iPhone 5, I thinks the 4s feel more higend in material than the 5.

 

Interesting how you ignored his first post. You know, the parts I've been complaining about (abundance of plastic) that actually look worse in person? Not so hard to judge. Really.

 

It definitely looks and feels high end on the GS, but remember the GS is a good deal more expensive than the IS. I'll wait to reserve judgement on that material in the IS until I sit in it.

As for the iPhone 4 vs 5 (I've had both). I think the 4 feels more solid because the 5 is thinner, but I think all the materials are the same.

I haven't sat in the car so I can't comment. He has sat in it, so his opinion of the material quality is more valid than mine...or yours.

As for "ignoring his first post", actually I did not at all. I quoted his first post and responded directly to it. Look at post #82.

I'm not saying the materials are or are not high quality, I'm just saying you can't get a good feel for material quality in photographs...which he himself agreed to since he thought they looked better in pictures.

 

The major difference between these interior is that, to me the 2IS interior (especially the f-sports blueish polish trim, the use of chromed material, and black rubbish textured ventilation ports etc) feels in a way more highend and classy. While the 3IS interior feels overall more modern, but with with less quality material than 2IS. Maybe its not, but it feels like it. This is only my opinion, you might feel differently.

about the iPhone 4 and 5 - the 4 uses more glass and has a frame in magnesium. While the 5 has less glass and uses aluminum on the body frame. 5 is less fragile than 4, but it looks like **** after a month's heavy usage.

 

So what you're saying is, we shouldn't discuss any aspects of the car until all of us have sat in it... I think I'll just ignore that advise and do what I've been doing. Heck, you told me I couldn't comment on it's speed because I haven't driven it, and surprise surprise, it's further behind the 335 than it's ever been before.

"lets drop it" is seriously the best idea. I'm not going to agree with you, and I'm not going to adjust my posting style to make you happy. I want to buy an IS, I just won't in it's current state, so I'm going to continue to voice my displeasure when it's not uncalled for and hope my as well as others voice carries and improvements are made in upcoming model years. If the side-effect is that you get annoyed, such is life.

As far as the iPhone 5, it's the black one that apple really dropped the ball on, and sadly it's the one I have the anodizing used is really sub par and scuffs very easily. The white one is aluminum with no anodizing so scuffs don't change the color.

 

How do the new "round" buttons on the steering wheel compare with the old "polygonal" shaped buttons?
I like the old polygonal shaped buttons more.
However the new steering wheel doesn't look as plasticky as the old steering wheel...

 

What I like about the 2IS steering wheel is how flush and clean everything looks. When I first saw some spy photos of the 3IS, I was hoping it would look like the 4GS which has a very smooth, flowing design to it. It looks clean and classy. You sit in it and get a sense of serenity and comfort. The 3IS interior does not convey those same feelings for me. I just wish there were more potent power plant options for the 4GS to compete with the 550i.

 

@peteharvey

first of all, the 2IS steering wheel you showed is from the first Gen pre-facelift 2IS. It doesn't look like that now. Also, you should use the latest 2IS f-sport steering wheel to match the 3IS f-sport steering wheel.

the steering wheel in 3IS works well with the rest of the interior design. The only complain from myself is that the 3 spokes are bit too thick/wide which can block out the entire view of the instrument cluster when it is not in center (read my 300h review). And the buttons are not too userfrendly as the 2IS steering wheel. When you drive, it is quite confusing what button is what. Same goes to the rest of the interior. For example, the new touch slide climate controls, they are fun when you play it first time when the car is stationary. But when you are driving on busy highway, it takes too much attention from you to set a new temperature compares to the current one. With the current click buttons, I don't even have to look, I know a double click up is +1 C.

Although you will get used to all of these over the time.